


To Love A Dandelion

by PurpleGirl7



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU of the Force, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Romance, Drama, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Family, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, Kylo Ren Redemption, M/M, No Knights of Ren, Rey Needs A Hug, Romance, Sex, Sexual Violence, The Force, Time Travel, Violence, Virgin Ben Solo, Virgin Kylo Ren, Virgin Rey (Star Wars), hyperspace au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:41:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23057893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleGirl7/pseuds/PurpleGirl7
Summary: Rey sees things — well, people. She cannot describe them as ghosts because they can touch her and she can touch them. These dead people are famous throughout the galaxy; however, when she accidentally brings one of them back from the dead, and the Force starts to bring her and Kylo Ren together, she discovers that there's a whole world out there waiting for her.
Relationships: Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Kylo Ren/Rey, Leia Organa/Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Rey, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader, Padmé Amidala/Darth Vader, Poe Dameron/Finn, Qui-Gon Jinn & Rey, Qui-Gon Jinn/Original Female Character(s), Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey & Luke Skywalker, Rey & Rose, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Yoda & Rey
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	1. Rey of Harmony

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first time posting! I've had this idea brewing for a while, and I've written three chapters already, and I've done a detailed plan up until chapter thirty. So, instead of getting to the point where it's finished, I decided to post to see if anyone is interested. This story is quite complex to the point that it confuses me some times but I think I've got it all figured out : D Each chapter will have a moodboard of sorts and a song recommended for each chapter, and all mistakes are my own!
> 
> Song: [Julia Brennan - A Light to Call Home](https://youtu.be/DcBpck7-Bqg)

_ _

_ Prologue: Rey of Harmony. _

It started with a whisper. A whisper that was unintelligible on a windy night on Jakku. A young Rey stumbled out of the AT-AT to try to identify the voice. However, she could hardly see her hands before her, let alone the horizon, so she returned inside and forgot about the whisper.

Then, it happened again a year later. Only this time, it clearly called her name. She’d grown accustomed to being defensive towards sudden sounds because the adults on Jakku thought it was easy to rob from a child and take her scavenged parts. 

Rey ran out with her overly large staff that she had found a few months back, and stood with it raised. On this night, there was no wind, but still her eyes struggled to see far into the distance. She shouted out a threat, then returned inside and barricaded the door. That night she didn’t sleep as her eyes were too busy staring at the door.

The next time it happened, she only had to wait a few months; it was a bellow, a guttural boom of her name that shook the AT-AT. She flew out of her bed and grabbed her staff. Whatever it was, she could feel it now. Every hair on her body stood on end as her heart thundered in her chest. It hummed. Something around her emitted a deep noise that caused her ears to twitch and her eyes to water. 

“Go away!” She shouted. 

Rey was young and afraid. It didn’t matter how many times she tried to convince herself otherwise, she was still a child — an abandoned girl whose parents decided she wasn’t worth keeping around. There was no reason for her will-to-live to keep on thriving; but it was at times like this, when the unexplained happened, that she considered giving up on life itself.

Then it was like someone had broken a dam. A wave of a thousand voices started to speak and shout at once. “...child...sweet child...young-one…future of this world…wretched bitch!” Rey dropped her staff and pressed her hands over her ears.

“Stop it!” She screamed. “Stop!”

For a few moments, she sobbed on the floor. Then, she removed her hands from her ears and glanced around her home. The hum had disappeared, leaving her mind empty and herself very alone. 

Rey pushed the incident to the back of her head throughout the year that followed. She practised more with her staff and started to create a name for herself as a feared scavenger. Her teenage years approached, and with that, came a change to her body. Rey stumbled towards Niima Outpost with her white trousers covered in blood one day. The pain was excruciating in her stomach, and she found herself unable to stand up straight. The men laughed at her and none of the women sympathised with her, so Rey staggered back to the AT-AT and collapsed by one of the feet.

That’s when it happened for the first time. The hum was there beneath her pain, but Rey hardly registered its existence. That was true, until a gentle hand touched her sweaty shoulder. Her eyes opened to see a beautiful woman with brown hair and light brown eyes. Everything about her screamed perfection and beauty, which was something Rey knew little about. She expected the beautiful woman to be harsh, instead she helped her to her feet and supported her inside. Before Rey could utter a ‘thank-you’, the woman started to explain to her about the changes a young girl must go through to become a woman. She was experiencing her first period, which would come monthly unless she got herself fitted with a chip to stop it from happening. However, she said the chip was too expensive and unattainable on Jakku. 

Then, she tucked Rey into bed and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Whoever this woman was, Rey was grateful for her help; but when morning came, she was gone without a trace. 

In the months that followed, Rey adhered to the gentle woman’s advice. Her childish side thought she would reappear each time she had her period, but that never happened. Her touch had been that of a mother, which was something she knew nothing of. No one had ever tucked her into bed and kissed her. Rey’s lonely heart yearned for such a touch, fortunately, she only had to wait a little longer until she appeared again. 

Now, Rey had a chance to truly observe her. The woman was dressed in a long white dress, her brown curls cascaded down her back, and some strands were encased with colourful beads. She smiled at her radiantly and crouched down in front of her as Rey sat in a pile of junk. 

“Sweet child,” whispered the Goddess. “How have you been?”

“W-Who are you?”

“Padmé Amidala.”

Rey knew that name. She’d listened to gossip at Niima Outpost, and Padmé Amidala had been mentioned when discussing her husband, Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader. The ladies liked to talk about the fall of the Empire because it had ended on Jakku. When they gossiped, they talked about how sad it was that Luke Skywalker was unable to save his father, Darth Vader, as well as never getting to know his beautiful mother, Padmé Amidala.

While all of that was sad, it didn’t explain why the mother of Luke Skywalker was crouching in front of her.

“You’re dead.”

Padmé chuckled. “I think so.”

“Then how are you here?”

“Something called to me from the darkness, and now I’m here with you.”

Rey’s face scrunched up in confusion. That didn’t make any sense. “Are you a ghost?”

Padmé reached out her delicate hand and pressed Rey’s shoulder with her index finger. “I don’t think ghosts can touch the living,” she pushed some of Rey’s hair from her face. “Nor can they leave impressions on the sand.”

Rey’s eyes widened when she spotted the footprints in the sand. “That’s not possible — you are supposed to be dead!”

“Sweet child,” Padmé cupped her sunburnt cheeks. “Something has brought me to you. I’m not sure what for, but I see a lonely child in need of company.”

“I’m not alone!” Rey lied. “I’m happy just the way I am.”

Padmé’s thumb stroked Rey’s left cheek. “I’ll always be watching over you, sweet child,” her touch vanished along with the rest of her, and Rey was left staring at the imprint in the sand.

By the time she turned thirteen, she’d heard nothing else from Padmé. It was at her darkest times that Rey wished for her presence to return and offer her comfort. 

And it was while she lit a candle she’d stuck in her polystarch bread, that Rey discovered that she was not an average human. A knock sounded at the door, and Rey immediately blew out her candle and grabbed her staff. She told whoever it was to go away, but the knocking continued. She’d made a makeshift door out of some wood and nails; it could withstand the sandstorms, but not a boot if someone decided to kick it in. Rey approached the door with cautious steps, and glanced through the hole she’d hammered into the door to find a gang of men on the other side. Now, Rey considered herself to be strong, but she didn’t stand a chance against four fully grown men. 

“I said go away!” She snapped and her grip tightened on her staff. 

“Let us in you bitch!” The thudding was more aggressive this time. 

“Piss off!” She’d picked up such colourful language during her many confrontations with other scavengers. 

A deep laugh followed her outburst, and Rey closed her eyes to pray. Padmé had helped her out before and she said that she’d be watching over her. This was the time that she needed her help. 

“Kick it open,” one of them said. “She’s got plenty of stuff in there — it’s enough to get us ration packs for months!”

Rey swore in her mind and looked around at her home. Although it didn’t seem like much to her, the AT-AT was a goldmine to scavengers, and she’d lucked out so far that no one had paid it any attention, until now. 

“Kick it!” The door trembled against the weight of a foot, and Rey stumbled back into the table. She needed to be brave, but her fight had left her body. What were they going to do to her? 

Rey screamed when the door flew open and crashed against the wall. She readied her staff as the men surveyed the room. 

“See,” the one with grey hair smirked. “Told you there was a lot in here.”

She swung her staff at them, and they all smiled and laughed. “Look at the little thing — do you think your stick scares me?” Rey gritted her teeth as he approached, then swung it hard against the side of his head. He fell to the floor with a thud, and Rey paused at the sight of the blood pooling around his head.

Was he dead? 

The remaining men lunged at her before she could react, and Rey found herself being punched and kicked to the floor. She screamed and cried trying to push at their hands and feet, but it only resulted in one of them stamping on her left hand causing her to screech in agony. 

Rey wished for someone to save her. She wished for Padmé to return and offer her a gentle touch. However, it wasn’t Padmé who came to her aid — it was the red plasma blade belonging to Darth Vader. Through watery eyes, Rey stared at the imposing black armoured Dark Lord while he slaughtered the intruders, but her eyes closed before she could see the last one fall. 

The next time she opened her eyes, she was back in her bed. She hadn’t been neatly tucked in like Padmé had done, instead, the blanket was awkwardly placed over her torso. Rey observed the clean room around her before she registered that she was no longer in pain. She roughly pulled at her clothes only to discover that there was no blood or bruises on her body. Had Darth-bloody-Vader healed her? How was that possible?

Rey wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole thing. Should she speak to someone? Surely it wasn’t right for her to be seeing Darth Vader in her AT-AT. 

A few weeks went by, and Rey avoided one of the shrieking women in Niima Outpost whose husband had gone missing. Rey guessed that he must’ve been one of the raiders; even if she wanted to help the woman, Rey had no idea where their bodies had been ditched. 

It was at Niima Outpost, a few days after her fourteenth birthday, that Rey realised she must be going insane. A few of the ladies were gossiping about the Cold War and the newly formed First Order, and Rey listened from a nearby table. Then, a man dressed in brown robes and a utility belt sat down opposite her. His bright blue eyes caused her to pause, and the wise look chiseled into his features told her that he didn’t belong here on Jakku.

“Can I help you?” She asked.

“Yes, young-one, you can.”

Rey narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m not sure how you expect me to respond?”

“There is something about you,” he said. “It’s crying out for help.”

“I think you have the wrong person,” she glanced around. “There is a fortune teller around here who I think you might get along with—“ 

The gossiping women nearby giggled, and Rey suddenly realised that their eyes were only on her — talking to herself. She glared at the man opposite her and whispered, “Who the fuck are you?”

“Qui-Gon Jinn,” he extended his hand across the table. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Rey swallowed hard. She knew who this man was. He was another dead person who had found their way into her presence somehow. The elderly ladies on Jakku talked about Qui-Gon’s gentle temperament and wistful good looks. So, Rey knew some of his history but not all of it. 

“I don’t shake hands,” she grunted. “Leave me alone.”

“Why you?” He raised an eyebrow. “That’s the ultimate question — why you?” 

And with that, he disappeared. 

Rey ran away from the ladies laughing at her insanity, and she cried herself to sleep for the first time in a long time. Why was this happening to her? She slipped into a slump for a few weeks, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Her rations were far and few as the days went by, and she found herself caring less about her survival.

Why was she seeing dead people? Rey knew that involving someone in her situation would lead to them calling her insane — which would be a fact. Her low mood caught up with her one day as she wandered into the Graveyard of Giants. She stared blankly at the fallen Inflictor, while her net bag fluttered to the floor empty. What hope did she have? Jakku was going to wear her to the bone. Rey couldn’t help but wonder how other teenagers were living their lives? They probably went to school and could read and write — skills that Rey lacked — and had a family to go home to. 

A sob escaped her lips as she dropped to her knees in the warm sand. Her life was over before it had even had a chance to start. A part of her hoped that her parents would return, but Rey needed to stop fooling herself, they were never coming back. 

Suddenly, Rey heard the hum. Her ears adjusted to the new sound just as the red plasma blade rested above her shoulder. It crackled a few inches away from her skin, so she slowly turned to look over her shoulder.

Darth Vader shadowed her small frame, and she could finally hear the mechanical sound of his breath. The women liked to gossip about it, but nothing could have prepared Rey for the sheer terror that it caused her. There was no way for Rey to tell whether he intended to kill her; even his hand didn’t waver as he aimed his lightsaber at a fourteen year old girl. _He’s slaughtered younger,_ commented a dark voice in her mind.

“W-What?” She stammered.

The red disappeared into the handle and she sighed in relief. She stayed on her knees before him and awaited a reply, but he just kept his black mask tilted down at her. She could feel the intensity of his stare all over her face, and she tried her best to respond with a fearsome glare — yet it would never match the piercing eyes of the Dark Lord.

“Are we just going to stare at one another? Or are you going to explain to me what’s going on?” She tilted her head slightly, which he mistook for a challenge so Rey ended up on the receiving end of his lightsaber once more. “What do you want from me?!” She shrieked, and warm tears flooded her eyes. “You are meant to be dead! And I didn’t ask for any of this…” she sobbed. “Just leave me alone, please.”

The red disappeared and, ever so slowly, he crouched down before her. Rey’s breath hitched in the back of her throat as she stared at him through watery eyes. He was even more imposing when he was eye level with her. 

He released a mechanical breath. “Why? You should be the one answering that.”

Rey shook her head frantically. “No! No, I have no idea what’s happening to me.”

“You let your emotions control you easily.”

“So?” She curled her trembling hands into the sand. “I’m always alone with my thoughts and feelings, so it’s rare that I get a chance to show my emotions. Now, tell me why you saved me?”

“Save you? You think I saved you?!” He laughed deeply. “Foolish child, I did nothing of the sort.”

Rey gained the confidence to lean closer to him. “You saved me — and you healed me — so tell me why? You aren’t real, so why is a mortal girl worth saving?”

His hand grabbed her neck and she clawed at his gloved hand. “You don’t get to question my actions,” he shook her. “Understand?” Rey nodded her head and he let her go.

She thought about Padmé. The wife of Anakin Skywalker wouldn’t treat her in such a way. Rey’s bottom lip trembled as her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I’m all alone...nobody was around to save me that night, so thank-you for helping me,” she cast her eyes his way briefly. “Even if you didn’t mean to.”

He grunted, then disappeared. 

Rey let out a sob as she stared at the imprint he’d left behind. She was back to being alone. 

The loneliness followed her for another two years. A sixteen year old Rey had grown tougher and stronger during her travels across the desert. The hum was no more, and Rey was grateful to see the back of it. She was no longer insane. 

She practised more with her staff, and in a way, that damned object was the only thing that brought her joy. Every visit to Niima Outpost was a chorus of male travellers whistling at her like she was a dog, and the scalding eyes of the older women who refused to talk to her for some unknown reason. One of the men had told her that she’d blossomed into a woman; she had no idea what that meant, but if getting rid of it would mean men would leer at her less, then she would happily forgo it. 

And then it happened — well, she found out what it truly meant to blossom.

Jakku’s sun was setting along the horizon as Rey made her way back to the AT-AT, when a shiver raced up her spine. The shiver turned into a chill until pain exploded at the back of her head. She cried out in agony as her body thudded onto the sand. Her back arched at an unnatural curve and her veins flooded with a black colour. Rey tried to call out for help, but her jaw soon clenched shut leaving her screams muted. 

Then, two hands pushed down on her shoulders to help still her convulsing body. It didn’t work but the familiar black mask provided a few moments of distraction from the pain. Rey felt like it went on for hours but it was only a few more minutes. Her body twitched to a stop and her chest heaved for oxygen. 

The mechanical hiss was louder than it had been two years ago. “You’ve blossomed...into something unknown to the Force.”

“W-What...what does that even mean?” She was too weak to push his hands off her.

“It means that you will be my new apprentice.”

When she awoke the next morning, it was to Darth Vader’s imposing frame above her. He ordered her from her bed telling her to bring her staff and nothing else. She followed him outside, and as she shut the door behind her, she realised that the hum was gone — yet he was here with her. 

The hiss of his lightsaber caused her to pause. Her two year break from the sight of it made her consider its true brutality. This was a blade that could slice through her body if it pleased him. Rey knew of his past, and in a way, it gave her an advantage; she often wondered how he would react to his real name. 

“Attack me with your staff,” he hissed.

Rey stared down at her weapon. “You’ll slice through it,” she felt protective of it.

He raised his hand and the staff trembled in her grip for a few moments, then he lowered his gloved hand with a sigh. “Strike me, now!”

And so, Rey’s training began.

Her mornings were spent sparring with Darth Vader — she would never be able to get over that — and her afternoons were more calm and filled with meditation. However, as the days went on, their sparring grew more aggressive. Every time she thought that she understood the techniques, he’d beat her into the sand and leave a nasty cut on her. Her grunted swings turned into screeches of annoyance, and every hissed laugh that escaped his mask fuelled the anger inside of her. 

She often thought he was doing this to toy with the poor, lonely orphan. However, months later she caught sight of her reflection and realised the change. She’d gone from scrawny and skinny to defined and muscular. She spent less time covered up so her skin was more tanned and her hair had been lightened by the sun. Rey found herself walking more upright with a sense of arrogance that she was better than the other scavengers. 

The only part of her routine that confused her, was the meditation. He wouldn’t reveal why she had to do it. Rey felt nothing — she didn’t feel at one with the Force, and she wasn’t even sure she had it. However, Rey would think back to the seizure she had that caused Darth Vader to come to her aid. Something had blossomed inside of her that day, but it was now waiting in the shadows of her body. 

Then, after a gruesome year had passed as his apprentice, she managed to disarm him in a duel — without using her staff. It had happened quickly, Rey dropped her weapon leaving herself exposed to him, and as he moved to swing at her, she instinctively flung her hands out only to send him flying backwards into the sand. She stared at him for a few moments, then rushed to his side to find him laughing.

He managed to utter out that he’d been waiting for a whole year for her to show signs of being with the Force, and now his assumptions were correct.

Her training schedule changed after that. Rey was put through vigorous lessons that blended together the light and dark side of the Force. It opened her eyes to the true strength someone could have if they focused on both sides rather than choosing one. Darth Vader had experienced the cruelty of both, and it seemed that he believed her capable of handling the complexities of each side.

Rey felt no pull. He’d explained briefly that a lot of Force-sensitive people felt a conflict to pick a side, and he believed it was a good sign that she didn’t. Her time spent meditating now involved levitation, while he talked her through the power she could feel around her. Their sparring sessions didn’t involve much talk, unless one counted him screaming expletives at her when she did something wrong.

Yet, Rey felt that tight feeling around her heart. And by the time her eighteenth birthday came about, she realised that she cared. Cared for Darth Vader. He’d been consistent in her life for two years, and she wasn’t sure her heart could handle the pain if he disappeared.

They trained on her birthday, and although she’d never told him that it was the day of her birth, she grew angrier as the hours went by. By the end of their session, she’d Force-pushed him a dozen times in frustration. Then, when she’d moved to do it one last time, he yanked her off the ground by her neck and pulled her face to his own.

“Your anger is distracting you!” He shook her. “Push it away!”

“It’s my birthday!” She blurted out before she could stop herself.

“And?”

She wiggled. “Put me down!” He dropped her onto the sand and turned away from her. 

“A birthday is just a reminder that you are getting one step closer to death each year.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “It is a celebration of one’s life.”

He glanced at her over his shoulder. “Pathetic.”

“Fuck you!” She snapped. “Don’t you dare make me feel bad for wanting to celebrate my life!”

He kept his back to her, and like a child throwing a tantrum, she cried out in frustration and stormed inside the AT-AT. Why did he have to be so cruel? She was used to being alone, and he was the one that chose her as his apprentice, so he should’ve known she might get attached.

Suddenly, a thick tension filled the room. The hum was bouncing off the walls and consuming her ears with a throbbing pain. She turned to look at the door, already sensing that it was coming from outside. With cautious steps she made her way back outside onto the sand, only for her eyes to widen in horror.

Darth Vader had his back to her a few steps in front of her. His lightsaber was ablaze by his side, and she was surprised to see the tremor in his hand. However, her main surprise was towards the line of people standing before him. She recognised Qui-Gon Jinn, but the rest were unfamiliar faces. 

“Go back inside,” said Vader. “Now!”

Rey felt touched that he wanted to protect her from danger, but his shaking body told her that he was scared more for himself than her. She glanced at Qui-Gon’s robes, then realised there were three other people wearing the same clothes — Jedi robes.

That explained his reaction.

“Let the girl come to us,” said the elderly man in Jedi robes. “She’s better off—“

“She can decide for herself,” Vader hissed then turned to look at her. “The light wishes to talk to you, and as you can see, there are a lot of them.”

“Rey of Jakku, my name is Obi-Wan Kenobi,” once again, Rey had to thank the gossiping women at Niima Outpost. She knew exactly who this man was, and she now understood why Darth Vader had reacted so badly. 

“What do you want?” Rey stood alongside Vader with a scowl. Unfortunately, Padmé wasn’t with them, and she kind of wanted to see how the dark man beside her would react to the sight of his wife.

“Teach you we will.”

Rey almost laughed. They’d truly brought everyone to try to persuade her to join them.

“I’m happy with my lessons,” she said. “There is no bias.”

It was Qui-Gon who stepped forward. “He’ll kill you.”

Rey tilted her head slightly. “I can handle myself.”

“I don’t doubt you are a fierce fighter, Rey of Jakku, but you must know the monster you are dealing with.”

Rey’s face scrunched up in confusion, and she glanced at Darth Vader’s mask. He was intimidating but she no longer feared him. Would he truly kill her? No, Rey felt like she could trust him. 

“I’m not learning about the dark side,” she explained. “It’s a mixture of both.”

“May so that be, young Rey,” Yoda fiddled with his cane. “Learn you must from us.”

“Why?”

“Rey of Jakku, read or write you cannot.”

Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “That doesn’t matter.”

“Matter it should.”

“Who are you?”

And so, she was introduced to: Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu. Rey cautiously approached and came to a stop before them. Mace showed little acknowledgement, and the sour expression on his face was focused on the man behind her.

There was a brief explanation on their Jedi pasts, and Rey immediately gathered that these people were linked to Darth Vader, which explained his anger. The more Yoda talked about what they could offer her, the more she felt a shiver run up her spine. It was like she could feel Vader’s eyes on her. There was a tug at her arm and she looked to see no one was there, then she glanced over her shoulder at Vader. She could feel his wish for her to return, and a part of her was flattered while the other wondered why he wanted her back. 

Then, once more, something bad happened. She felt the shift around her as the tension morphed into pure rage. A person approached from behind the Jedi, and it was a young man with curly brown hair and blue eyes. He wore Jedi robes and had a cybernetic arm — and that’s when she knew, that’s when she worked out who he was.

Anakin Skywalker.

Before she could question how it was possible, Rey heard fast footsteps behind her just as Anakin drew out his blue lightsaber. Something had disrupted the Force and caused a sandstorm to flood through the area. She tried to shield her eyes from the onslaught of sand, and through her hazy vision she spotted Anakin’s form fly over her head. The last thing she saw before the sandstorm blocked her view was blue clash upon red. The fighting and shouting was loud as she tried to push through the storm, but the wind forced her backwards every time she progressed a few steps.

“Vader, stop!” She screeched, but the storm muffled her screams. She could hear the Jedi behind her, but they could do nothing to disperse the storm. Rey had no idea whether these apparitions could die — they were already dead. Yet, fear surged through her veins at the idea of something happening to Vader; it didn’t matter that he’d done such terrible things, he’d been the only constant thing in her life for the past two years. 

Rey pushed and pushed for minutes fighting storm, then, in the distance she spotted the pair locked in a vicious battle. 

And that was when it happened, the start of her legacy as the balance between light and dark. Rey watched the blue and red beams collide; however, instead of them pulling away, the lightsabers fused together. 

The furious pair were stunned still immediately, and it seemed the Force had decided they needed to stop. Rey sighed in relief.

“Are you quite finished—“ Rey’s question was cut off as the blue and red mixed together, and purple plasma shot from their blades and barrelled right into her chest. She flew back a long distance and landed in a heap on the sand. The storm vanished in an instance, revealing her form to all of the entities. 

The only thing Rey remembered about that day was the pain. She didn’t recall the way Vader shouted her name, nor the way they all forgot their rivalries and rushed to her side. No, all she remembered was the way it felt like she’d swallowed glass; and the way she coughed up blood onto the golden sand; and how her body convulsed in different directions as she screamed out in agony. 

None of them knew what to do.

And all they could do was watch in horror as the Force took control of her body. They all felt it. The pull towards her. Ever since her birth she had been calling to them, and one by one, without conversing with one another, they’d watched from a distance. 

These ghosts had never left for an afterlife, for them there wasn’t one. All they knew was wandering endlessly across the plains of lands, waiting for something to call to them. They never passed someone else like them; their purpose was to wait for their calling. Yoda heard voices more often, and he felt the pull to other people to aid them with their journeys. However, Rey’s name has been whispered in the winds since her birth, and their journey to her had taken them a long time — some of them too long. 

It was at this moment, as Yoda reached out his small hand to touch the burning girl’s forehead, that he saw who she was. Or rather, who Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader had made her. 

Rey was the balance in between the light and dark. She was neither blue or red, she was purple. A mixture of both ends of the Force, and like a set of scales, Rey was the same token on each side to create an equilibrium.

No longer was she Rey of Jakku.

Yoda pronounced her: Grand Mistress Rey of Harmony. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think!
> 
> [Darth Vader](https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=813002)  
> [Rey](https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/733875701759261788/#)  
> [Padme](https://www.wallpaperup.com/468415/Star_Wars_tv_show_movie_entertainment_sci_fi_fantasy_characters_television_serie.html)  
> [Desert](https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficheiro:Libya_4608_Idehan_Ubari_Dunes_Luca_Galuzzi_2007.jpg)


	2. Etched All Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thank-you to those who left comments and Kudos for me! This chapter is a bit of a time jump, but it jumps straight into the Force Bond and sets the scene a little! The next chapter will probably be the one where a lot of you have questions, so I look forward to posting that :D
> 
> Song: [Amarante - The Other Side](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CifTAyCjJQ)

Chapter One: Etched All Over. 

_35 ABY_

_Two Years After The Creation of Rey of Harmony._

_Location: The Core, Zug System, Aaghra._

_Terrain: Molten Rock._

_Population: 0._

Rey landed her large carrier starship she’d named Amethyst on the rock and lava covered planet of Aaghra. The place wasn't inhabitable and was only just about breathable for people like her. She didn’t understand why the Sages — Yoda came up with the name — told her to come here, and once more, she found herself doing as she was told. 

After her creation, Rey spent a year of her life being trained by all of the Sages — Mace Windu might as well have not bothered turning up — and they taught her about the world. She could now read and write; she learnt both the light and dark side of history; and Anakin showed her how to fly and run a spacecraft. The tension was thick for quite a while, but Anakin and Vader have managed to avoid one another since their confrontation. Whereas Anakin had apologised to her, she’d received nothing of the sort from Vader — and she didn’t expect him to.

Yoda worked out that the Force within Anakin had decided to present itself in two forms after death. So, theoretically, Anakin and Vader are separate entities with their own thoughts and feelings. It took a long time for Rey to fully understand what was going on, but she was glad to get to know who Vader had been.

However, the one thing that irked her about Vader was his secrecy. The history Yoda had taught her about the light side stopped with the start of the New Republic, and Rey knew there was more to it. Vader told her about the Sith, and when she pushed for information about the First Order, he pinned her with a look that told her not to push. It didn’t matter though, because now she could travel and she heard bits of the story from other travellers. 

The First Order wished to control the galaxy, and Supreme Leader Snoke led them. Rey had heard stories about their brutality but she was yet to encounter any of it. She only ever practised her fighting with Obi-Wan and Vader, so she often wondered how her instincts would react in a confrontation. 

The year leading up to now has been filled with small missions set by Qui-Gon and Yoda. They write her missives about a planet's history, then send her on her way to bring back a key part of the land. Yet, this was the most difficult one so far since Aaghra was a world covered in molten rock and a population of zero. 

Rey checked the scanner once more then got to her feet to have a proper look at the planet. She had no idea what the Sages expected her to find here, and they weren’t generous with their hints either. With a sigh, she headed from the control pod and pressed the release button for the door. It opened with a hiss as the ramp unfolded, and Rey glanced at her staff resting against the wall. 

Yoda had taught her how to create her own lightsaber, and to no surprise, the plasma was purple. She’d been excited at first to be able to wield her own against Vader in a fight, but her training with her staff had left her with more openings when using a lightsaber. So, once again, Vader spent a lot of his time beating her into the ground. 

All of this meant that she had to take her lightsaber with her all the time, so she had little opportunity to wield her favourite weapon. Qui-Gon had warned her about carrying her lightsaber openly because this would draw attention to herself. The last Jedi was Luke Skywalker, and if someone started to notice what she was doing, rumours would start to spread. 

Rey walked down the ramp, pausing for a few seconds as the warm air hit her cheeks, then she carried on until her feet touched rocky ground.

“What now?” She said aloud to no one.

She procrastinated for a few minutes before starting her journey across the rocky terrain. When she was sent on these types of missions, the thing she must return to Yoda had to have a connection to the Force. One time it had been a rock that had called to her from a cave — Rey saw little value in it — and Yoda added it to his collection. The Sages chose the AT-AT as their base — this didn’t include Vader — and Yoda had used some incantation to shield it away from normal eyes. So, they all reside there when it pleased them; they still all appear to her when she calls for them, but she knew that they returned to the base afterwards rather than going back to wandering aimlessly. 

Rey used her hands to help climb over the rocky hills until she came to a stop before a river of lava. She pushed thoughts of Qui-Gon into her mind so he would appear. Shortly after, the hum entered her ears followed by a quick puff of wind that caused her hair to flutter. 

“Why am I here?” Rey said, then she looked over her shoulder at Vader, who paused at the sight of his surroundings.

Oh. 

This place resembled the planet where Anakin became Darth Vader, officially. Rey had never asked him much about that part of his life, but he didn’t need to, because she could tell how much it hurt him to this day. She’d decided to keep quiet about the time Padmé visited her, and it wasn’t really relevant since she hadn’t appeared since she was a child. 

Rey still missed her though.

“I wanted Qui-Gon.”

He exhaled loudly, unmoving.

“Vader?”

His sharp eyes landed on her. “Is this a cruel joke?”

“Of course not!” She snapped. “I called for Qui-Gon.”

He whirled around and stormed off, and Rey struggled to keep up with him over the rocks. “Look, I’m sorry. I honestly wasn’t calling you — I’m not stupid enough to do so intentionally. Just leave if you want.”

He stopped and turned to point his finger at her. “You called me here!”

Rey curled her lip. “No, I did not! Perhaps you just wanted to see me.”

He laughed.

It had taken them a long time to figure out, but the Sages could appear to her out of their own freewill. This had warmed Rey’s heart when she realised that Vader had stayed by her side for two years straight out of choice. 

“We can either keep arguing or you can help me?” Rey crossed her arms over her chest.

“What have those idiots got you searching for this time?”

Rey shrugged. “Not sure, it could be anything.”

He came to stand by her side, and she saw that he was surveying the area. Rey could sense that he was stressed about something; and although she spent most of her time with him, Vader shared little about his emotions. However, today was different. She could almost taste that something was bothering him. 

She focused on the sound of his mechanical breath for a while, then turned to look around her. “I don’t feel anything calling to me.”

“Just pick up a rock and return it to the little frog.”

“He doesn’t look like a frog,” she muttered. “If you are going to stick around, at least be useful.”

As the years have gone by, her relationship with Vader has developed into something more personal. Although he showed little emotion, Rey couldn’t hold back her own. Sometimes they’d be training and she would burst into tears over nothing or he’d say something that only scratched being a compliment, and she would try to hug him. He wasn’t a hugger — she’d learnt quickly after being tossed halfway across the galaxy the last time she’d tried to put her arms around him. Yet, despite his resentment, Rey found the deepest parts of her soul latching onto the infamous Darth Vader. To say that it terrified her was an understatement. He was a butcher of people and a man without a heart — yet, around him is the first time she’s ever felt like she belonged. 

She reached out a shaking hand and rested it on his arm. His movements stopped, and Rey felt the moment his eyes landed on her. “I just want to say that I’m grateful for—“ something flashed before her eyes.

She blinked a few times hoping it would disappear, but it didn’t. An overwhelming feeling caused her eyes to water, and she realised that he was withholding something important from her. Very important.

Her voice was deep when she growled, “Liar.”

He pushed her back a few steps. “What did you just do?!” 

Escaping the feeling of betrayal was hard. There was something lingering in the back of her mind that caused her immense pain. Their closeness was dysfunctional because he shared so little whereas she shared a lot.

Then, a call came from somewhere on Aaghra. She turned to look in the direction it had echoed from; then the hum vanished from her ears and she realised that Vader had left. Rey crouched down and buried her face in her hands.

_Fuck,_ she thought, _I should’ve kept my mouth shut._

Rey knew that the call she’d heard was the Force pulling her towards the object she must find, so, with reluctance, she started her trek towards the call. She wasn’t sure how long it took her to arrive at the lavafall, but when she arrived, exhaustion took over. It was warmer in this area, and she grabbed her rag to wipe the sweat from her face. She was wearing an outfit similar to her Jakku attire, but rather than it being white it was purple — obviously. 

Rey took a step forward only to freeze. A chill shot up her spine; it was unbelievably hot right now so it didn’t make sense. She heard the scrape of boots against the rocky ground. _Someone’s behind me._ There had been no hum so it couldn’t be one of the Sages. _What should I do?_

She swallowed hard, then grabbed her lightsaber and whirled around as it lit up the red hue of the atmosphere purple. The face on the other end of her lightsaber was drenched in sweat. He was much taller than her and his shadowed presence caused her to drop her weapon in surprise. 

They both stared at each other for a long time. 

She struggled to register the rush of emotions that shot through her. His face betrayed the shock he was feeling at the sight of her, and the quiver of his lips told her that he felt the way the air around them had changed. She was certain that if she touched this man her body would explode. Tears fell from her eyes as she reached out her hand to him, and his eyes nervously followed the extending of her hand, then he focused on her. 

The tears continued to fall from her eyes and she followed his own as they fell off his jaw. There was no explanation for the feelings that raced through her right now. None of it made sense. It was so sudden and overwhelming that nothing in her training could have prepared her for this type of feeling. 

He slowly reached out his shaking hand, edging the tips of his fingers towards her own. The moment they touched, she exploded, or at least that’s what it felt like. She gasped when waves of desire, need, wonder and wholeness consumed her. His movements were quick and he grabbed her wrist pulling her against his chest. She squealed in surprise and gazed up into his dark eyes. He was real. But how?

Then, a whisper filtered into her ears.

“I...why can I see you?” The deep tone of his voice caused another shiver to lace around her spine. She’d never heard a voice sound so endearing and bone chilling at the same time. 

Rey opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. His eyes roamed over her features then landed on her lips. Rey wasn’t sure what this meant. She’d seen lustful looks on the faces of men on Jakku, but there was something different on this man’s face. Passion? Want? No, it wasn’t any of those things, it was more primal.

Hunger.

And by the Gods, did she crave him at this moment.

That is what snapped Rey out of her trance. She had no idea who this man was or why he was here. With a grunt, she pushed herself away from him and swiftly used the Force to retrieve her lightsaber. Her actions shocked him for a split second, then she heard the hiss of his own lightsaber. Rey’s eyes widened in horror.

Who was this person?

The red lit up his dark features and the Force around them caused his hair to flutter in a breeze that shouldn’t exist. 

“Who are you?” She whispered. 

His gaze moved over her body quickly, then he locked eyes with her. “Kylo Ren.”

And then it happened, the name was hammered into her soul, etched all over. 

She took a few moments to regard him, and when she blinked, he disappeared.

Suddenly, the Force was sucked out of the area, and Rey fell to her knees gasping for air. She placed a hand over her thundering heart and looked at her surroundings. Her first thought was to call out for Yoda, but the name Kylo Ren had been branded into every fibre of her being. _He’s trouble — trouble I shouldn’t know about._ Rey got to her feet and glanced at the lavafall 

Something tickled at the back of her mind, and she walked to the edge of the lake. She wasn’t sure what had just transpired, but for now, it needed to be kept to herself. The Sages either knew who he was because of his connection to the Force or she’d cause them to investigate and create chaos. The man had owned a lightsaber which meant he had affiliations with the Force or someone that had knowledge about it.

Then, it struck her. _He’s with the First Order._ The little she knew about the organisation was that it hated the Jedi, but they were also people who had knowledge of it. His dark attire did not suit a person who belonged to the light. 

_I’m in trouble,_ Rey thought. It meant that he was alive, which didn’t make any sense. _I’ve only seen the dead._

Rey returned to Amethyst with slumped shoulders. She prepared herself for takeoff, and it left her with the sickening thought that the thing she was meant to find on Aaghra was Kylo Ren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know your thoughts! Below are the image credits as well as links to any Star Wars information mentioned for references:
> 
> [Aaghra](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Aaghra)  
> [Rey](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/star-wars-canon/images/2/28/REYINJURED.png/revision/latest?cb=20180402210458)  
> [Molten Planet](https://static.nationalgeographic.nl/files/earths-eso0933a.jpg)  
> [Darth Vader](https://wallup.net/star-wars-darth-vader-artwork-digital-art-lightsaber-science-fiction/)  
> [Kylo Ren](https://img.cinemablend.com/quill/c/4/d/d/5/0/c4dd503c4e2b39267ea7f3d0d20723fa835a4491.jpg)  
> [MoodBoard](https://i.imgur.com/sr8VeCk.jpg)


	3. Dandelion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter for you to read!!
> 
> Song: [bülow - sweet little lies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-V462WSXLU)

Chapter Two: Dandelion

_Takodana, Mid Rim, Western Reaches._

_Maz Kanata’s Castle._

Rey sat down at the edge of Nymeve Lake with the castle behind her. She’d arrived on Takodana a week ago and it was the safest place she’d been in a long time. Maz Kanata — whoever she was — didn’t allow violence inside her castle, and she managed to enforce this rule while she was off being a space pirate.

Yoda has sent her here to channel her energy with the Jedi catacombs beneath the castle. However, being down there terrified her. She was so used to the open plains of Jakku that trying to meditate in an enclosed space caused her to panic.

Her week long adventure was coming to an end soon, and her next journey would be back to Jakku. A month has been by since her time on Aaghra, and she’d heard nothing from Vader or Kylo Ren since.

His name was mentioned a lot more on her travels and it caused her heart to thunder in her chest. Every time she closed her eyes she saw his troubled face staring back at her. It was a feeling she didn’t want to explore any longer. The First Order was busy fighting, and as long as Kylo Ren kept away from her, Rey could forget about him.

Well, she’ll at least try to forget about him.

A part of Rey still called out for Vader, but it didn’t matter how hard she tried, he wouldn’t appear before her. She understood that her outburst had been uncalled for; and the longer she’d had to think about it, the more she realised she was probably wrong. Why would he hide something from her?

“Vader,” she whispered. “Come on...Vader, please.”

Rey scanned the horizon then sighed in defeat. Does she really mean so little to him?

The people behind her were busy bargaining with smugglers and travellers. She looked over her shoulder with disinterest. She’d encountered some questionable people while staying here, and she made it clear that she wasn’t for hire.

As Rey turned to look back at the lake, two hooded figures caught her attention. They were wagering with a stall owner in front of the castle, and the delicate hands of a woman waved around in frustration. Her partner was considerably taller than her, and it wasn’t until they reached out to grab an item from the stall that she realised it was a droid. Rey swung her body around so she wasn’t twisting at an awkward angle.

The reason why the pair fascinated her was because it questioned Anakin Skywalker’s teachings. In between their Jedi history lessons, he had taught her everything about droids — specifically the different types. And, it was this droid that didn’t make sense. Rey could see that it resembled the BD-3000 luxury droid model, whose programmed gender was always female: this was a male version.

 _Not possible,_ Rey thought. It resembled its female counterpart with golden arms, legs and face, but its torso was a deep red and its features were strikingly masculine. It didn’t make any sense.

The woman beside him glanced up at the droid revealing her young face. Her nose was small and her lips a venomous red. She had to be just shy of eighteen, but her dark green eyes displayed the wisdom she had for such a young human. Then, Rey noticed her unnatural hair colour — purple.

 _Why is everything purple?!_ Rey got to her feet and slowly made her way through the crowd. She casually approached the stall beside the pair and faked interest toward the items on display.

“I won’t tell you again — pay up!” The girl snapped.

“You didn’t bring back everything I asked for,” the stall owner muttered. “I won’t pay for a half-assed job.”

“Pay up!” Her immaturity showed as she squealed out expletives.

“We’ll take half of the payment,” the droid said.

“No, we won’t!”

“Calm down, Dandelion.”

Rey had to stifle her laugh behind the back of her hand. Was her name truly Dandelion?

The man handed over a handful of credits into the droid’s extended palm, then the droid pulled his reluctant partner away from the stall. Rey’s eyes followed them as they headed inside the castle. A shout in her mind told her to follow, but another voice warned her to stay out of any trouble.

Rey was moving before she could consider the good voice in her head. She entered the bustling bar and pushed through the people until she found the pair sitting down at a table. Rey turned away when the girl glanced in her direction. She faked interest toward something hanging from the wall, then after a few moments she glanced back, only to lock eyes with her.

“If you want something, sit down!” She snapped in annoyance just as the droid put a drink down in front of her.

Rey swallowed hard, then sat down at the table. “Hello.”

The droid waved his hand at her. “Nice to meet you—“

“The _fuck_ do you want?” Rey stared at her wide-eyed. The aggression behind her words warned her to tread carefully.

“I-I don’t know,” Rey replied.

“What does that mean? Are you a stalker?”

“No,” Rey huffed. “You just stand out, even with your hood up.”

The girl touched the fabric of her cloak hood with a scowl.

“I’m Rey.”

The droid reached over to shake her hand. “I’m Polo.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Silence followed as Rey waited for the purple haired girl to properly introduce herself, but she kept her eyes glued to the table.

“Are you smugglers?”

The girl scoffed. “I prefer the word mercenaries.”

“You kill people?”

“Ignore her, Rey,” Polo said. “We don’t really have a name, but we pick up the odd jobs now-and-then.”

“Oh,” Rey tapped her fingers on the table. She couldn’t hold back her questions any longer. “How are you a male?”

Polo sat up straight then stiffly moved his head towards his partner, who responded with a yawn. “My mistress found me. I am unsure how I became this way.”

“Some sick rich man wanted a male secretary droid rather than a female one to perv on,” she explained with no emotion. “I rescued him.”

“I had wished to keep that a secret, Dandelion.”

Rey laughed before she could stop herself.

“You think my name’s funny, Rey of Jakku?”

“No,” Rey cleared her throat. “I apologise for causing you offence, it’s just an odd name…” Rey trailed off, and she hardened her features. “How did you know I’m from Jakku?”

A smile broke out on her face, and Rey hated that she’d given her the reaction she’d wanted. “I know everything.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Perhaps,” Dandelion raised a brow. “But you’ll never know the truth.”

The sane voice in Rey’s head took over, and she moved to stand up but Dandelion’s hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her back down. Rey felt her hand twitch towards her lightsaber, but she knew the rules well enough: no violence.

“Surely you have more questions?”

“No,” Rey said through gritted teeth. “I don’t know why I came here anyway.”

“For a heart-to-heart, clearly.”

“It was nice meeting you, Polo,” Rey got to her feet without obstruction this time, and she walked away ignoring Dandelion’s laughter.

She headed outside with a racing heart. Rey rarely had confrontations with people nowadays but there was something about Dandelion that rubbed her the wrong way. Her laughter haunted her until she sat back down next to the lake.

 _What an infuriating girl? Who raised her?_ Rey was too scared to find out.

A hum entered her ears, and she sighed as Anakin sat down beside her. “I can feel your confusion through the Force.”

“Sorry,” she said. “The meditation doesn’t seem to be working.”

Anakin nudged her shoulder with his own. “It’ll get easier, I promise.”

“You turned into Darth Vader—sorry, I didn’t mean to say that!” She turned to him with sad eyes. What was wrong with her? She’d never said something so malicious before.

Anakin smirked. “It’s true though, but my weakness was love.”

Rey thought of Padmé. She wished the woman would appear again, but it didn’t matter how many times she called out to her nothing ever came of it.

“I miss her,” he admitted with a sigh. “The good side of me wished to save her inevitable fate, however, I fell victim to the idea that it could be changed. Fate is unavoidable, and any move to manipulate it only means you are doing what it predicted.”

Rey’s heart sank. Padmé and Anakin’s love story was tragic. It had opened Rey’s eyes to affection, and she found herself missing her parents — whoever they were.

“From what I hear, she loved you immensely.”

“She was my world.”

His sadness seeped through the Force and she rested her hand on his shoulder. “Can I be truthful with you?”

Anakin paused. “What?”

“I haven’t been entirely honest with you or anyone actually,” she removed her hand and fiddled with her fingers. “Vader wasn’t the first one to visit me, it was Padmé.”

He inhaled sharply, and she cast a wary look his way. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so honest, but he deserved to know that she was around somewhere. He suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

“Look at me,” she obeyed. “Whatever you do, please, for the love of everything that is sacred, do not tell _him._ ”

Fear consumed her. Anakin didn’t need to elaborate on who _he_ was, because even she wasn’t stupid enough to tell Darth Vader. Rey couldn’t begin to imagine how he would react to her name let alone seeing her again.

“I won’t,” she whispered. “She hasn’t appeared since I was a child.”

“Good,” he sniffled. “She should stay away, it’s for the best.”

Rey agreed with him, but before she could voice her opinion, he disappeared. She glanced at the spot he’d been sitting on, then sighed. _I wish I had company that wouldn’t disappear._ There was little comfort in watching her teachers disappear whenever they felt like it, and her heart yearned for a person that would be consistent in her life.

At times, she wondered about what it would be like to have a relationship with someone. She’d seen Jakku’s pathetic example of such relationships, and that wasn’t something she wanted for herself. _I want love...I want someone to understand me and accept me for who I am._

Her mind recalled Kylo Ren. She shivered at the thought. Rey didn’t want to experience that feeling ever again, no matter how intoxicating and burning it had been. _Feelings like that could lead to a painful attachment._

Laughter echoed behind her and she turned to see Dandelion and Polo leaving the castle. The girl and the droid continued their conversation, but the twisted look on her face made Rey pause. There was something familiar about the girl that caused her discomfort; it was her features that held a similarity to someone that Rey had seen before, but she had no idea who. _I need to stop overthinking, she’s just a horrible person._

When Rey turned to look away, Dandelion caught her eyes with a smirk. She carried on walking with a wide grin until she disappeared around the corner. Her purple hair confused Rey for the most part because it didn’t make sense. _Why is everything purple nowadays?_

Rey decided to forget about Dandelion and spent the rest of the day meditating. The claustrophobic feeling didn’t leave her as she allowed herself to float in a dark part of the catacombs. She didn’t feel any different or more at one with the Force, which made her question why she was here in the first place.

 _I’m tired,_ she thought, _I’m tired of all of this._ She didn’t want to be Grand Mistress Rey of Harmony. There was nothing grand about it. Her only purpose was to learn new things, and it annoyed her that none of her teachings were leading to something bigger. _I need a purpose — a goal._

Suddenly, something pulled at her soul.

Her eyes flew open as she gasped. The world around her moved, transforming from the catacombs to a dark room on — what she assumed was — a starship. The room consisted of black furniture and bedding that added to the ominous vibe of the place.

Rey’s chest moved rapidly for oxygen as she tried to understand why she was staring at a bed. “W-What?” A chill shot up her spine and she bit down on her trembling lip. She heard the sound of someone walking up to her back, and the air hissed around her as they crouched down. Their breath hit the back of her neck, then a gloved hand rested on her shoulder.

She let out a whimper when the touch caused her nerves to come alive. Rey slowly turned to look into the dark eyes of Kylo Ren. A sheen covered his hard gaze and she knew that he felt everything she did. He pulled off his right glove with his teeth, discarded it on the floor then extended his shaking hand to rest it against her cheek. As soon as he touched her, Rey’s body became even more inflamed; however, this time, she refused to fall victim to his spell.

Rey pushed him backwards onto his arse, then got to her feet to put as much distance between them as possible. “Why am I here?! How did you know where to find me?”

He was startled for a few moments then he stood up with a furious scowl. _Perhaps I shouldn’t have pushed him._ Rey could feel the palms of her hands still burning from touching his chest.

“You’re the one who appeared!” He spat. “I wouldn't willingly invite Jedi scum here.”

Rey’s face flooded with colour. “I’m not a Jedi!”

Her answer brightened his soured expression a little. “You belong to the dark side then?”

A part of her wished to respond with a hateful comment to offend him, but she thought about Vader then and she didn’t feel comfortable disrespecting his teachings like that. “No, I’m not.”

Before she could react, he entered her personal space causing her to tilt her head back to look up at him. “You’ve a lightsaber — who do you belong to?!” Rey felt something pushing at the walls of her mind, and she glanced down to find his hand shaking beneath her chin.

_He’s using the Force on me!_

Her features scrunched together as she mentally shoved him out of her head. He staggered backwards burning a hole into her face. “How dare you?! Do you think me timid and weak? I’m much stronger than you, Kylo Ren, so choose your next move wisely.”

“You wretched bitch!” He charged towards her with every intent on causing her harm. Rey moved her hand to her lightsaber, only for it to fly across the room just as he tackled her backwards onto the bed. Although the landing was soft, his hands around her neck made a painful cry escape her lips. Fortunately, the idiot had landed with her legs in the middle of his, so she kneed him hard then pushed him off her as he screamed.

_That’ll teach him._

Rey sat up on the bed and stared at his curled form on the floor. His long hair covered his face, so she couldn’t make out what he planned to do next. After a few moments, he removed his hands from between his legs and sat up slowly. His hair fell away from his narrow features, and Rey saw the hatred in his eyes.

Whatever intoxicating feeling that had transpired between them was now gone.

_And good riddance to it!_

“I have no idea what’s happening here, but I don’t care to find out!” She snapped. “However, if you ever lay your hands on me again, I will kill you.”

“And if you ever appear in front of me again, I’ll kill you,” he replied childishly.

“Fine.”

“Fine!”

She got off the bed and retrieved her lightsaber, but as she turned to insult him some more, the Force yanked her back to the catacombs. She let out a surprised yelp as she landed on the floor with a thud.

“Have fun?” Rey pushed herself up and spotted Dandelion leaning against the stone wall. She scrambled to her feet and ignited her lightsaber. Dandelion tutted with a smirk. “Someone’s jumpy.”

“What do you want?”

“So, how is he?” Rey was perplexed by the way she avoided her question completely, but then she registered what she’d said.

“W-Who?” Rey stuttered.

“Oh,” Dandelion sighed. “Your new best friend.”

Rey looked her up and down. She was dressed like a warrior: a black dress with a frilly skirt; a brown corset that was cinched to show her tiny waist; beneath her dress and corset was a white chiffon top that hung from her shoulders and covered her muscular arms; and she wore knee high boots that looked like they could crush a skull with ease; and finally, her purple hair was exposed to have certain strands braided with pink beads.

_What does she want from me?_

“Whatever you think you know, you don’t,” Rey said. No one had prepared her for this type of situation. Was she going to have to get rid of Dandelion? She wasn’t a cold blooded killer, but Yoda had warned her that now wasn’t the time for people to know about her.

“I think I do know,” she pushed herself away from the wall. “But, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you leave now.”

Rey narrowed her eyes. “Is that a threat?”

“No, it’s an order.”

Her huff of laughter didn’t lighten the situation, and Rey tightened her grip on her lightsaber. Then, she found herself saying something that she would imagine Vader saying when challenged by someone like this. “Make me.”

Dandelion didn’t give away any emotion, but she did shuffle back a little. _Good, she’s scared._ Rey went to smile in satisfaction, but Dandelion rolled her eyes and violently swung out her hand. Rey flew backwards and hit the wall falling unconscious.

With a staggered sigh, Dandelion crouched down beside Rey’s body.

“Is it done?” She glanced to the end of the catacomb to find Polo looking around nervously.

“Yes,” Dandelion stood up. “Help me move her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think! 
> 
> [Polo's Droid Model](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/BD-3000_luxury_droid/Legends)  
> [Rey](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2d/78/43/2d7843bd9a2abfe9e71bdc46aad9a070.jpg)  
> [Hair Image](https://i.pinimg.com/474x/ab/83/9f/ab839f3868fcd70a0dbb90195ab5c2e3.jpg)  
> [Dandelion](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bShFUPpCpT0/VJWJwZ1BzLI/AAAAAAAABak/bmPhD9x2_UI/s1600/fluff.jpg)  
> [Kylo Ren](https://img1.looper.com/img/gallery/how-adam-driver-transformed-into-kylo-ren/intro-1568998318.jpg)  
> [Touching Cheek](https://zipcy.myportfolio.com/touch-your-cheek)  
> [Anakin Skywalker](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/75/03/da/7503da5a4f5b4c4f62d295b3d1471092.jpg)


	4. Love is a Tragedy

Chapter Three: Love is a Tragedy. 

_Western Reaches, Mid Rim, Takodana._

_Maz Kanata’s Castle._

Why could she hear blaster fire and TIE fighters screeching overhead? Rey slowly awoke, inhaling the smell of smoke and finally hearing the screams. She rolled over onto her stomach, groaning in pain as her eyes fluttered open.

 _Dandelion! That bitch!_ Rey saw flashes of the incident before her, and realised that the horrible girl had used the Force on her. _Of course she can use the Force — I bet she’s a part of the dark side._

Rey pushed herself upright with weak arms, and the gloomy clouds above her covered the sight of a lone TIE fighter for a few moments. Then, Rey followed it with wide eyes as it entered the battle happening on the other side of the lake. 

Maz Kanata’s Castle was on fire.

“No!” She got to her feet and watched in horror as stormtroopers slaughtered the people who had been inside the castle. She pulled out her lightsaber — surprised for a moment that Dandelion hadn’t robbed her — and gripped it tight in anger.

She wasn’t strong enough to take them all on, but perhaps she could make a difference. Rey moved to storm around the lake, but a gentle hand grabbed her wrist. Rey whirled around to find Padmé staring back at her.

“Padmé!” Rey dropped her lightsaber and hugged the kind woman, who returned it with a gentle rub to her back. “Where have you been?” Rey had tears in her eyes as they separated. “I...I have to go and help them! It’s the First Order—“

“This isn’t your fight,” she said. “You must leave before something happens to you.”

Rey realised that she was on the side of the lake where she’d landed Amethyst. Her eyes found her starship, and she was relieved to see it was still intact. How had she got here in the first place?

“Come along,” Padmé grabbed her hand and led her towards Amethyst. Rey kept looking over her shoulder at the destruction the First Order was causing. Surely now was the time to expose her strength to the galaxy. Why would Yoda want her to hide something that could save innocent lives?

They entered Amethyst and went into the control pod. Rey pressed buttons and flicked switches with trembling fingers. The screams from outside got louder, and she was certain they would haunt her dreams from now on. _I could have helped them._ However, Rey knew that Padmé was right, it wasn’t her fight to get involved with. 

Rey took off into the sky and headed in the opposite direction of the fight; it went against every ethic she had, but it was tough decisions such as this which would shape her into the person the Sages wanted her to be. 

Padmé stayed in the seat beside, and although her familiar presence was comforting, it made her question why she’d decided to appear again. 

There was only one way for her to find out. “Why?”

“Why what, my dear?”

“I haven’t seen you since I was a child,” Rey explained. “Why now?”

Padmé watched the clouds pass her by as they left Takodana. “I found myself unable to return to you,” she whispered. “There was something stopping me.”

 _Why does everything have to be so complicated?_ Rey had needed Padmé so many times back on Jakku, yet the Force had decided against it. She was growing tired of the way it controlled her life.

“None of this makes sense! I’ve called out for you so many times, and I know you would’ve helped me develop into the person I’m supposed to be! Absolutely nothing about this is normal — I shouldn’t be able to see any of you!”

“Rey,” Padmé reached over and touched her arm. “It’s all right, I promise. Just take some deep breaths.”

“B-But, it’s not right! I think I’m going insane, Padmé, things keep happening that make no sense! And, and — he won’t talk to me!” She finished with a sob.

“Who?”

Rey’s vision blurred as she stared at the controls. “Vader.”

Padmé removed her hand from Rey’s arm with a sigh. “The person who my husband became. I’ve heard whispers while wandering aimlessly.”

“Yes,” Rey whispered. “And I know he’s bad, but he was there for me when I needed someone.”

Padmé smiled sweetly. “You don’t have to justify your emotions, Rey.”

But Rey felt like she had to. People should be calling her insane for entertaining the idea of caring about him. He has murdered children. Yet, she sees him as a potential father figure when he wasn’t a father to his own children. _I’m messed up._ Rey glanced at the change of scenery and made sure to stay alert for any sign of the First Order. Their main ship, the Finalizer, must be on the other side of the planet because she couldn’t spot any of their infamous Star Destroyers. She’d heard stories of their capabilities, and Amethyst wouldn’t stand a chance against them. 

Padmé sighed from beside her and Rey noticed the worried look on her face. “Aren’t you going to ask me what he’s like?”

She shook her head. “I think it’s best that I don’t know.”

Rey agreed with that. Padmé’s last memory of Anakin was of him screaming of her non-existent betrayal. _I’m not sure she’ll enjoy knowing what gruesome things he did after._ Perhaps she already knew but didn’t want anyone to reaffirm her findings.

They stayed in silence while Rey readied Amethyst for Hyperspace. She needed to get them to Jakku as quickly as possible to discuss things with the Sages. They had to have known about the First Order, more specifically Dandelion. However, a voice inside her mind told her to keep her mouth shut about it. If everyone else seemed to be keeping secrets from her then she should be allowed to have her own. Either way, she needed to address what to do about the First Order because even though she was strong, she wasn’t strong enough to take a whole army of stormtroopers on. 

“Although I can touch you, I don’t feel much else,” Padmé remarked. “I miss the feel of travelling through space.”

“I can’t believe I went through twenty years of my life having never flown before.”

Padmé chuckled. “It’s a unique feeling isn’t it?”

Rey nodded. “The Sages have taught me a lot.”

“Who?”

“Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, Qui-Gon...and Anakin.”

“My Annie is teaching you?”

“Yes,” Rey didn’t think Padmé could look anymore vulnerable. “They’ve somehow split up into two entities, him and Vader.”

She inhaled sharply. “I shouldn’t ask anymore questions.”

“He treats me well, and he’s taught me so much,” Rey explained. “He’s taught me everything I know about droids and flying.”

“He was always good at those things.”

They fell into silence once more, and Rey pressed the button and pulled the lever to force them into Hyperspace. She watched the dark view of space vanish before her, then relaxed into her seat. It didn’t take long for the loneliness to claim her, and she looked to her right to find Padmé was gone. 

“I hate this!” She snapped as frustrated tears burnt her eyes. Was it too much to ask for a real companionship? 

Rey allowed herself a few minutes to cry. It was draining her slowly every time someone appeared and then disappeared. She thought about Kylo Ren even though she knew she shouldn’t. The whole thing was foregin to her. _I shouldn’t be reacting this way to someone_ . She had no idea what passion and desire felt like, but even she knew that it wasn’t what she was feeling. _It’s something else, something bigger._ She shook her head. Nothing good would come of knowing Kylo Ren. Nothing.

 _He’s an idiot anyway,_ Rey thought. The man had put his hands around her neck. He probably would’ve killed her, especially if they were facing one another in real life. However, none of that explained why she could see him to begin with. _I know that Kylo Ren is alive, so why is the Force connecting us?_

Another hum entered her ears and she quickly wiped her eyes, then turned to look at Qui-Gon. For a moment she thought she’d fooled him into thinking there was nothing wrong, but the sad smile he gave her told her that he saw through her shielded face. _He’s always been the more caring one out of the Sages._

“What is it?”

“Nothing,” Rey sniffled. “The First Order attacked Takodana.”

“So, it’s not nothing.”

Rey couldn’t help but chuckle. “I guess not,” she sighed. “I wanted to help, but I thought it was best not to. There were too many of them.”

She decided not to tell him about Padmé. Although she knew they were friends, she didn’t want to complicate things any more. She would eventually tell them that Padmé had appeared once more, but not until the time was right.

“You must know your limits,” said Qui-Gon. “A true mistress of the Force knows when her power would only make things worse.”

“But what if I could’ve saved at least one person’s life?”

For some reason, Rey thought about Dandelion. Where had she disappeared to? Where was she trying to take her in the first place? 

“What ifs get you nowhere,” he regarded her closely. “Perhaps you might have saved someone or perhaps you might have got yourself killed. Your purpose is beyond dying at the hand of a stormtrooper.”

“So my purpose is to die eventually?” She hissed. “I’m worth more than that!”

“I know that,” he said softly. “Rey, you are destined to do great things. I do not know when you’ll die, but I do know that your future is bright. You are the balance needed to maintain the Force.”

She was tired of hearing about it. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I was created not born this way.”

“That’s where you are wrong, young-one,” he cleared his throat and got to his feet to stand over her. “Surely you felt that you were different long before we came into your life.”

Rey fiddled with her fingers. “I did, but...well it wasn’t as consuming as this.”

“Our destinies are predetermined, and any move to run away from it only means we are doing what it intended.”

She realised he was saying something similar to what Anakin had said to her about fate. _Why do I find myself missing my time as a scavenger?_ No, she couldn’t think that way. Her life was so much better now. Although her company wasn’t mortal, she still had people to talk to rather than going crazy staring at the walls of the AT-AT.

Qui-Gon sat back down. “You aren’t alone in this Rey.”

“How so?”

“As Jedi we are taught to not let our emotions control us. To not let it alter the way we make decisions. I struggled while training to be a Jedi Master because of a burning feeling called, Love.”

Rey’s face softened as she looked at him. “Love? You were in love?”

Qui-Gonn sighed. She’d rarely seen sadness on his face, and it unsettled her greatly. _I’ve always known him to be full of wisdom rather than pain._ It was then that she understood he was about to tell her about a great tragedy in his life. 

“Lola,” he said. “Her name was Lola.”

And so Rey took in a deep breath and prepared herself for a story she knew was going to break her heart. 

“I met her while I was training on Coruscant. I’d been sent down to the lower levels, otherwise known as the Underworld, to look into some criminal activity. The place was filled with so much noise and chaos that it was hard to find anything. I came across this bar that was oddly quiet. The music was calming and there were only a few people drinking in there. I spotted her sitting alone with her head on the table. She didn’t catch my attention at first, but that was because her face was hidden. She was crying. I could see her shoulders shaking. She finally brought her head off the table and I was struck by her beauty. Her skin was pale and her hair the darkest black I’d ever seen. I couldn’t just walk away from her, so I went to see if she was all right. And, well, I expected an angelic sort of woman because of the way she looked.”

Rey smirked. “Let me guess, she wasn’t?”

“No,” laughed Qui-Gon. “She wasn’t. She swore a lot, which I thought was unbecoming of such a young woman, but it was too late.”

“What do you mean?”

“As soon as she told me to ‘bugger off’ I was already in love with her.”

Rey’s smile was sad this time. She could see the true pain on his face, so she reached over to place her hand on his arm. He looked at her with tears in his eyes. “I was twenty at the time and she was eighteen. I kept going back to the bar to see her in an attempt to wiggle my way into her life. Her life itself was secretive and filled with criminals. I was ready to give up my training to take her away from it all. Then...she...well, she was murdered.”

She squeezed his arm and moved to crouch by the side of his seat. Rey didn’t say anything when a lone tear fell from his eye. “I was ready to tell her that we could leave and never look back. But, I arrived at the bar to find it alight with chaos. A group of criminals decided to cause trouble and this led to the whole place erupting into a fight. I saw her immediately…” Qui-Gon laughed. “And of course, there was my Lola in the middle of it all causing as much trouble as she could. Only, I made the mistake of calling out to her, and she got distracted. A man pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the stomach.”

Rey hugged him. Although the angle was awkward, she did her best to soothe him. She never would’ve guessed he had such a tragic backstory, but it made sense now. He became a strong Jedi Master so involved with the Force and training others with his wisdom. _He must’ve been in pain that whole time._

She pulled away and smiled at him. “She sounds like a remarkable woman.”

“She was,” he grabbed Rey’s hand. “You see, Rey, things happen for a reason. I was destined to meet Lola, and unfortunately, she was destined to die so tragically.”

“Why does everyone seem to have a tragic love story?”

“It seems Love is cursed, young-one,” he released her hand. “But perhaps you are destined to break it.”

“I know nothing of love, Qui-Gon.”

“You know nothing of it, yet.”

She paused. What did he mean by that? As far as she was concerned he didn’t see visions or create prophecies.

“You think too much.”

“You Sages are too cryptic, it hurts my brain,” something beeped and she checked the control pad to see they were ready to leave Hyperspace. She readied Amethyst to stop, and she found herself smiling at the sight of Jakku. Suddenly, Rey thought about Lola while she looked over the desert planet. She’d died so young and seemed to have lived a life of trouble. Rey was the same, but instead she was still living such a life. _I wonder if anyone would’ve remembered me if I’d died on Jakku?_

“Did you…” Rey looked back at him and sighed. “Was it hard to stay on Coruscant after she died?”

“Yes,” he admitted. “The owner of the bar was quite fond of her. He closed the place down afterwards and left behind a small memorial plaque dedicated to her. He always called her by her nickname, and others often called her it. Although to me she was always Lola.”

“What did they call her?”

“Her nickname was—“

A shadow loomed over them both, and Rey smirked up at an annoyed Mace. “Hurry down, there is someone unknown outside of the AT-AT.”

  
  
** Kylo Ren **

_Location: Mid Rim, Dinzo, Old Cortosis Mine._

_Terrain: Red Desert._

_Population: 2,098._

He stared at the old ruins, then glanced at the new mine built alongside its predecessor. They needed the Cortosis to build better armour and shields. It was considered one of the strongest minerals in the galaxy. The old mine had been destroyed during the Galactic Empire, leaving Dinzo abandoned until now. 

Kylo watched the stormtroopers and droids move around through bored eyes. He’d been here during the attack on Maz Kanata’s Castle. His time should be spent on ambushes or tracking down the Resistance, but he’d received orders from the Supreme Leader to get the mineral first. _I’m wasted here._ He thought this often, that he was wasted on mediocre tasks rather than going out and fighting. He’d been trained to go head first into battles not oversee a mining expedition.

It was fairly warm. He could feel himself sweating in his helmet. At least his soldiers wouldn’t see his discomfort. He looked away from the pit and over at Dinzo Village. The central area had been built before he arrived; it was mostly habitable and received visitors who weren’t a part of the First Order. Although, as a general rule, visitors were told never to ask what was going on beyond the village. 

Kylo found himself walking away from the pit and towards the village. He could leave the observing to General Hux since he liked to put himself in charge most of the time. Kylo wasn’t cut out for leading, like he’d mentioned before, he was built for fighting. 

He tried to ignore the fact that he kept looking around constantly. And he refused to acknowledge that it was because he wanted a certain someone to appear. 

Her name. He didn’t even know her name. 

Their first meeting had been astronomical. He’d never experienced any form of lust or hunger before, yet, just simply looking at her ignited every nerve ending within him. The Force had brought them together for a reason. However, their second meeting proved to him that such feelings meant nothing. She reeked of Jedi. _Which means she’s in contact with Skywalker._ Kylo narrowed his eyes. He’d kill his old master if he ever saw him again. 

The daft woman deserved to have his hands around her neck. Filth like herself should be rid of sooner rather than later. However, he’d been stupid enough to leave a _very_ delicate area exposed to her. Had she not attacked him violently, he was sure he would’ve killed her there on his bed; it didn’t matter how delectable she’d looked in the middle of his bed. 

_Jedi scum!_

He arrived at the village and noticed the way people shrunk back at the sight of him. _Good, they know their place._ A few market stalls had been set up, and as he paused to observe some of the items, he noticed two cloaked figures huddled together just down the street. The air around him hummed. It went from a deep sound to that of a female voice. Every hair on his body stood on end, and he watched as one of them moved back their hood. 

She was young. Pale faced. And had purple hair. She looked to have been knocked off her feet by a solid object to the face. Her eyes were harsh as she talked aggressively to her friend, and his brow furrowed when her friend was a male droid. They were in disagreement about something. She could hardly stand up by the looks of it. 

The way he felt was similar to when he’d seen that wretched Jedi woman. _The woman with the brown hair and beautiful fucking face,_ Kylo shook the thought from his head. _She’s scum, dirty filthy Jedi scum._

Kylo marched past the other stalls and came to a stop nearby. The young girl turned to look at him, and he paused at the sight of her eyes. She looked like someone, but he had no idea who. 

“Can I bloody help you?” She curled her lip in disgust. Kylo didn’t appreciate her tone, so he ignited his lightsaber. His anger worsened when she didn’t look fazed by it. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t little Benjy.”

“What?!” He spat, his voice sounding a lot deeper through his mask. No one knew his real name, no one but his family. Yet, he’d never met this girl in his life, and she found the confidence to give him a stupid nickname.

“Do you need something from me or have you come for a measuring contest?” She quirked a brow then turned to the droid. “I guess it’s time to go.”

Kylo reached up his hand and pushed her forward with the Force. She whirled around to stare at him through narrowed eyes. “Fine. I accept your challenge.”

“Dandelion, let's go,” the droid said, and Kylo laughed. 

“Is my name funny to you?!”

“Your parents must’ve hated you to give you such a name.”

She smirked. “And I guess Leia and Han hated you — who names their son Benjy?”

Kylo charged forward with a loud cry and she moved away just in time. He twirled his lightsaber around and started to follow her with it. “I don’t think you know your place. This is First Order territory.”

“Well, go on then, kill me,” she tilted her head with a smirk.

“With pleasure,” he went to move forward but the droid got in between them. 

“I apologise, Kylo Ren, forgive my mistress’ ignorance. We will leave now, and you’ll never hear from us again.”

Kylo narrowed his eyes at Dandelion. Something about her infuriated him, and it was everything to do with the shit-eating grin she had on her face. It was like she knew every one of his darkest secrets. _Who the fuck is she?_

“See ya around, Benjy!” She giggled as the droid pulled her away. Kylo wasn’t sure why he let her leave. He’d killed people over minor things, yet he’d just let her speak to him like that. He glanced at the people who had stopped to stare, then he used the Force to send all of the stalls flying, destroying all of the stock they’d put so much effort into creating.

_Good. They need to know that the First Order is to be feared._

Kylo spent the rest of the day back at the Mine. He ignored every comment Hux made, and brushed off all of his ideas. There was something about his meeting with Dandelion that upset him, and he swore to himself that if they ever crossed paths again he would kill her. 

And he’ll do the same to the hazel-eyed beautiful woman—to that piece of Jedi scum! 

** Rey **

_Location: Western Reaches, Inner Rim, Jakku._

She landed Amethyst near the AT-AT and was quick to run out when the ramp lowered, then she paused and rushed back inside to collect her bag. When she returned, she spotted the stormtrooper by one of the feet. She raced over with every intention of disposing of them somehow. She’d just witnessed the stormtroopers slaughtering everyone on Takodana However, she paused at the sight of blood coming from a gash on their arm. They suddenly groaned and knocked the helmet from their head to reveal it was a young man. 

Rey crouched down beside him to watch him carefully.

“What are you doing here?” she grabbed his arm roughly and he hissed in pain. He was sweating underneath Jakku’s brutal sun. He clearly wasn’t comfortable in such heat. His eyes opened and closed as he tried to focus on her, and she realised he was slowly becoming delirious. 

“Get him some water,” Qui-Gon said from behind her, and Rey pulled the canister from her bag and forced water into his mouth.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “Are the First Order here?”

“N-Not…” he tried to reach for her, but his arm flopped to the sand with a thud. “Not one...ran off...friend dead...hot, too hot.”

She watched his eyes close for good, then turned to look back at Qui-Gon. “What should I do?”

“Get him inside,” he said. “The sun’s too much for him and he’s lost quite a bit of blood.”

“Do not bring him inside,” Rey glanced over at Mace. “We don’t know him.”

Why did he only speak up to tell her off? Rey knew Qui-Gon was right, and she trusted his judgement more than Mace’s. She struggled to get him up, so she settled on dragging him inside. Rey spared a look at the other Sages as they watched her struggle to put him in the bed. She dampened a piece of cloth with water then placed it on his forehead. 

“Why have you brought the stormtrooper inside?” Anakin asked and Rey removed the man’s chest plate.

Qui-Gon spoke for her instead. “He says that he ran away.”

“Trust him we can,” said Yoda. “Help him you must.”

“That’s what I’m doing,” Rey muttered, and she tended to the cut on his arm. 

Rey spent a long time watching over the fallen stormtrooper. She ignored the bickering going on between the Sages, and by the end of their argument it was only Mace who still opposed him staying. Rey informed Yoda about what happened on Takodana, and she explained that nothing had changed while she meditated in the catacombs. He reminded her that these things take time, but she refused to believe that there was any point to meditating in such a place. She prefered doing it out in the open where she didn’t feel claustrophobic.

Soon enough, the fallen stormtrooper came around. Unbeknownst to him, it wasn’t just Rey in the room with. 

“Where am I?”

“Jakku,” Rey said. “You’re a stormtrooper.”

He looked around the room, then shook his head. “I used to be. I’m defective.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I ran away, and now the First Order are after me. I crashed here with my friend, Poe Dameron. Is he here?”

“I only found you,” Rey looked over just in time to see Mace disappear but not before rolling his eyes in annoyance. “Who is your friend?”

“He’s with the Resistance. He was captured and locked up on a Star Destroyer, I helped free him so we escaped together.”

“Ask him about the Resistance,” said Obi-Wan.

“I will,” replied Rey, then she realised that the stormtrooper couldn’t see them. She locked eyes with him and he gave her an odd look. “Who are the Resistance?”

“The good guys,” he sighed. “They want to bring down the First Order.”

Rey could get onboard with that idea. “Where are they?”

“D’Qar I think,” he sat up with a wince. “That’s where I’ll be headed. Are you one of the good guys?”

Rey nodded. “I hate the First Order.”

“Good,” he held out his hand. “I’m Finn.”

She shook his hand with a small smile. It was nice to talk to a decent person that wouldn’t disappear suddenly. 

“Go with him you must,” Yoda looked up at her.

“I will.”

“Who are you talking to?” Finn let go of her hand with a confused expression on his face. 

“Oh...erm…no one!” she exclaimed. “I was just talking to myself,” Rey swallowed hard. “Get some rest and we’ll leave in the morning.”

“Who are you?”

“Me? Oh, my name is Rey,” she smiled down at him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Finn.”

Rey left the AT-AT in a hurry. She was embarrassed about being perceived as crazy. If they were going to travel together then she needed to tell him about the Sages. _I will do it tomorrow._ She sat down on the sand and stared at the sun setting in the distance. 

So, now she was moving onto another adventure. _I wonder what the Resistance are like?_ Rey was nervous but excited. It meant that she would meet more people who wouldn’t disappear. 

Something inside of Rey missed Vader in this moment. She looked at the empty spot beside her, and wished for him to appear but no such thing happened. _I must’ve upset him more than I realise._ She pushed some of her hair from her face then sighed.

“What’s troubling you?” she watched Qui-Gon sit down beside her. She rubbed her ear in an attempt to get rid of the hum that plague her around the Sages.

Rey couldn’t admit that she missed Vader. “Nothing...I’m just a bit nervous about going to the Resistance.”

“You’d be best taking part in the fight to bring down the First Order rather than trying to do it alone.”

“I suppose so,” Rey picked up some sand then watched it fall through her fingertips. “Are you all right?” she asked. “What you told me earlier was a lot.”

“I think we’ve discovered that love is a tragedy, young-one.”

Rey gave him a sad look, then moved to rest her head on his shoulder. “I’m sorry that you went through that.”

“You cannot change the past, Rey, these things happen for a reason and they shape us into the individuals that the Force needs us to be.”

“I still wish you didn’t have to go through something so heartbreaking. Lola sounds like a lovely woman.”

“She reminds me of you in a way, you are both little spitfires,” Rey laughed, and she sat there in silence resting her head on his shoulder. Something overwhelming consumed her, and she was sure that it was just her heart reacting to the pain Qui-Gon must’ve experienced; however, it didn’t fade away when she tried to think of something else. Rey inhaled sharply, then realised something terrifying.

She could smell Qui-Gon. 

She couldn’t smell the Sages. It was an odd thing that she’d noticed during their teachings. 

The door opened behind them. “Rey, I forgot to ask, what are you doing here on Jakku?” she turned to look at Finn who paused with a shocked look on his face. “Who’s this?”

“Excuse me?”

Finn clearly pointed at Qui-Gon. “Who’s the man sat next to you?”

Rey stared wide-eyed at a surprised Qui-Gon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you think!


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